High-tech lynching

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

High-tech lynching is a term describing a period of nonstop, vicious verbal attacks directed at a particular person or group that is communicated through the mass media such as TV, radio, newspapers, periodicals, or the Internet. The term was first coined by Clarence Thomas during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings, referring to the allegedly racist remarks by the Democrats in the Senate.

In 2004, this term was used again where New Black Panther Party leader Quanell X was charged with evading arrest. He was on the phone with Executive Assistant Chief Charles A. McClelland of the Houston Police Department when arranging the surrender of cop shooter Derrick Forney in June 2004. Quanell was convicted on a lesser charge of 'running from a police officer', a class-B misdemeanor in the State of Texas; on December 1, 2006, the State of Texas First Court of Appeals overturned Quanell'x conviction.